Advertisement-displaying apparatus.



J. T. ROPPY.

ADVERTISEMENT DISPLAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY '7, J9.

1,026,126, Patented May 14, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

T. ROPFY.

AD ERTISEMENT DISPLAYING APPARA' APPLICATION TILED JULY 7,1909,

" r ieuted May 14, 1912 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, lJJJ.

Patented May 14, 1912 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

11---? r I \m m QQP LWA Kid,

$ mn mm UNITED STAtlES JOSEPH T. BOFFY, F OHICAGO,

NERNST LAMP COMPANY,

PATENT OFFICE.

ADVERTISEMENT-DISPLAYING APPARATUS Amligation filed July 7, 1909.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented May 14. 1 912.

Serial No. 506,264.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that-l. .losrzrn T. ltorrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Chica o, in the county of (ooh and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Advertisement-Displaying Apparatus, of which the following is a speeificat ion. My invention relates to advertisementdisplaying devices designed for the display of advertising matter upon a suitable display-surface by the use of artificial light.

My object is to provide for the display of advertising matter in a manner to render it attractive and conspicuous to passers-by, at night and on cloudy days, regardless of the location of street arc-lights, or the like, in

relatively close proximity to it.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 shows by a perspective view the roof of a building on which an zulvertisen'ient.-dis-' playing. apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention is supported. Fig. 2 shows my improved apparatus by a view in longitudinal vertical sectional elevation. Fig; 3 is a broken enlarged section taken at the line 3 o Fig. 2am viewed in the direction of the arrow, this vicwishowing a. de-

' tail of the focusing means for the appa vertical sectional elevation. Fig. l

ratus. Fig. 4 isja view in front elevation of a' plate having transparent sections employed in eonneetion .with a body exposed througlrsaid sections-and capable o't'being incandcsced. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the incandescent body and its supporting means. Fig. (i is a diagrau'nnatie view of the luminous body and cooperating plate placed near but slightly in front of the'principi'iljocus of a double convex lcns,'anda displaysun face upon which the real and inverted image is formed, the whole being shown in i F is a view in the nature 01" a diagram of a modification 01" my invention showing another form of luminous body which may be en'iployed; and Fig. 8, a similar view of still another embodimem of my invention.

For the purpose of illustrating one of a number of locations or positions in which my improved apparatus may be. used,lhave shown it as applied to the roof represented at 7, of a building 8, a di;-;play-surface upon which the advertising matter maybe conspieuously dis 'ilayed being indicated at 9.

My improved"apparatus is represented at 10 and is preferably formed with a shell or casing 1t having, a trusto-conical forward endporti n 12 and a hinged end 11". This casing. which may be formed of any desirable material, may. if desired, be composed of a frame formed of channeled strips '3 atfording series of grooves 14 in which pieces of glass, or other suitable material,

forming sides 15 may be confined, the glass or other material being opaque or translucent depending on whether or not it is desired to radiate light through the walls of the casing from the incamlescent bodv contained therein as hereinafter described. 1

Located in the casing; 11 is a receptacle '17 which rests upon the bottom of the casing and carries a depending threaded stud 1S projecting downwardtv through a longitudinally extending slotv 19 provided in the frame 13 and upon which screws a nut 20 through the medium of which the receptacle 17 may be held in any position of adjustment longitudinally of the casing for a purpose hereinafter explained. The receptacle 17 contains a glass standard 21 held srcurcly in position by a filler (not shown) and mm bedded in said standard are the terminals 22 and 23 of the wires 24 and i 25, respectively, leading from a source of electricnurrentsupply, and stiff wires 26 extending laterally and for 'ardly of the standard 21. The terminals 22 and 23 are connected with the extremities 27 and 28 ot a strip of refractory metal 29 which is preferably formed, as illustrated, of plat-inmn wire bent.

upon itself to give it the broad zigzag formation illustrated, and so shaped as to cause its bent portions to be in the same plane and generally conform in shape to the legendary matter to be displayed onthe display-surface as, for instance, that indicated at 30 in Fig. l, butin reverse and inverted condition when viewed from the front of the casing, as represented in Fig. 5, it being understood that by connecting the terminals 22 .and with the extremities of the. strip 29 at current of electricity may be passed through the entire stripand thus its convolutions be heated to incandescence. To hold the convolutions of the strip 29 in positio againstsagging, l secure the strip at intervals to the emhed'dedin the glass standard 21 out of contact with each other and the wires 22 and 23, do not affect the passage of the/cur outer ends of the wires 26 which, by-being rent through the strip. Cooperating with the strip 99 is an opaque plate 31 having transparent sections 32, these sections being so shaped as to conform to the outline of the legendary matter. as, for example, the letters of the words shown as displayed on the displa ysurface in Fig. 1. but arranged in the plate 31 in reverse and inverted order when viewed from the front of the casing. This plate which may be suitably supported in any desirable manner in close proximity to the strip li and in parallel relation therewith as by wire uprights 33 embedded at their lower ends in the receptacle 1? and connected with the plate 31, registersat its sections 32 with those portions of the strip 2:) which cent'orm in general to the legendary matter to be displayed. as clearly indicated in Fig. l. and is preferably formed of opaque material, calcium, or cement. being preferred. the transparent sections 32 being formed by cutting away portions of the plate to form openings through it so shaped as to spell the legendary matter backward. as re )reseuted in Fig. 4, though it. will be understood that the plate may be formed of transparent material made opaque. except by the sections :32. by coating it with any suitable material 'or obscuring those portions of the lttllllllntls' body. the image of which. it formed on the. display-surhwt. would prevent the display of the desired legendary matter. l urthermore, the. transparent sections may be tinted wtth any desirable color provided such tinting does not prevent the .ran mis ion ot' the image of the incaznles ent body through said sections, as hereinafter explained.

The outer end ot the portion 12 ot' the casing is provided with a lens 3t. preferably of tbe doublca-eirvex variety illustrated, through which the real and inverted image of the unobscured portions of the luminous body is formed on the display-surface by virtue of the fact that. as in mirrors, the image of a body is the collection of the foei of its several points, and that property of image formation i inherent to a double convex lens. Varying the distance of the lens ill with relation to the display-surface for increasing or decreasing the size of the image displayed necessitates varying the. distance of the luminous body 29 and obscuring plate 31 with relation to the lens, this adjustment. being rendered possible by means of the sliding mounting of the receptacle 17 on the casing it. By thus producing on the displayeurtzu-e a direct image of those portions of the luminous body 29 which are not obscured by the opaque portions of the plate 31, the image displayed on the display-surface spells the legendary matter to be displa ed,- and by reason. of the transparent con ition of the sections 32 in the plate and the single lens produces an preceding figures,

through itto provide openings therein. if a image of such character that it is capable of being seen on a display-surface on cloudy days and very conspicuous in the night-time, despite the location of arc-lamps or other artificial light in close proximity to the dis 7Q play-surface.

It is manifest that the form of lens used may be varied as desired provided the shape and arrangement of the lens or lenses is such as to cause the magnified image of the por- 5 tions of the luminous body exposed through said plate to be displayed on a suitable display surface. Thus a double concave lens may be substituted for the double-convex lens illustrated, in which case the image cast 30 upon a display-surface being merely reversed in a horizontal plane, the sections 32 in the plate and the convolutions of the refractory strip would be so arranged as to spell the legend in reverse, but not in inverted condition.

\Vhile I have illustrated and described words as the legendary matter to be displayed. itwill be understood that the display-matter may be representations of Ol) jects in the form of silhouettes.

\Vhile I prefer to employ a platinum strip as the luminous body, in which case it need not be incaudesced in a vacuum, and

bend it to conform generally to the sections 32, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit my invention to the use of a strip of platinum or other material capable of being ineandesced in the air, as any other material capable of being ineandesced in a vacuum or in the air may be used. Furthermore. the strip need not be bent as dQSCI'llQQd, but may be provided of any other shape provided portions thereof register withall My invention contem- 10b heat. light rays. or to chemical action, as is lp well understood in the art, as for instance the [lame of a kerosene lamp, or'a plate of material capable of being rendered luminous by snlncction to light rays, provided it be flatv or substantially flat and register with all of the sections 32 of a partially obscuring plate, in which case the legendary matter, whether words or outlines ofo'bjects, would be displayed by the image of portions of the flame or luminous plate exposed the 129 sections I p p In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a, form of construction in which the luminous body is of such material as to be rendered luminous by subjection to light rays as above stated. In

this construction I provide a plate 35 preferably of quartz glass which is located in the rear of a plate 36, like the plate 31 of the having sections cut shape corresponding to the legendary matter to be displayed on the surface 9, the plate 35 being of approximately the, same area as the plate 36 so that portions of the plate 35 are directly in line with all of the openingsin the plate 36. The plate 35 is rendered luminous by any suitable light-producing devices, such as electric incandescent lamps represented diagrammatically at 37 and arranged in a curved series with reflectors 38 behind them for focusing the light upon the body 35, the image of. the portions of the luminous body exposed through the openings in the plate 36 being cast upon the display surface 9 by means of a lens 39, as described of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. It is desirable in this construction that a transparent, slightly col ored, plate, such as-that' represented at 40, be positioned between the plate-36 and the lens 39, If desired, the body 35 may be provided in a form corresponding to the contour of the legendary matter to be displayed as described of the filament 29.

\Vhen it is desired that the luminous body in the casing serve the double purpose of displaying advertising matter on a dis play surface and illuminating the space around the "casing, as for instance where the casing is placed 1n a store, the sides 15 may be formed of White or colored glass.

If desired, the display of the advertising matter may be effected by the employment of a plurality of cotiperating apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, as, for example, each element of a group of apparatus may be constructed to cast an image forming one letter only, the appara tus cotiperating to display the word or collection of words forming the advertisement to be displayed. Such an embodimentof thy invention is illustrated in Fig. 8, in which a plurality of the lenses 34, luminous bodies 29 and partial obscuring plates 31 forming elements of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, are emlo ed each coil .eratin r lens fie luminous p y a P l; a

body 29 and partial-obscuring plate 31. operating to display a portion only of the leg endary-mattter to be. displayed on the sur face 9. Thus, when the matter to be displayed is the word shown in Fig. 8, six ap paratus of the construction shown in Fig. 6 would be employed. The plates 31 of the apparatus would have sections out through them as described of the plates shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, of such shape as to cause the images of the portions of the luminous bodies 29 exposed tl'irough each of them and upon-the surface 9 to be of-a contour corresponding to the letters forming the legendary matter to be displayed.

From the foregoing, it will be. readily undot-stood that an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention operates on 'tus coniprisin a princi le involving the formation of the image 0 aluminum body on a di lay-surface, and that it therefore differs mm the ordinary light-projecting apparatus involving the projection of light rays from a concentrated light highly condensed, through the sections 32 and throng .which it is de-. v

signed that the luminous body be exposed, Thus by employing in the claims the phrase transparent sections, I wish to be under stood as intending to cover a plate with the sections 32 formed in either of the Ways above referred to. I

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An advertisementalisplaying apparatus comprising, in combination, an opaque body containing transparent sections, a Inminous body c il rating with said opa ue body, and Yl'it.;;.-lforming a magni ed image of said luminous body exposed through saidscctions upon a display-surface, for the purpose set forth.

2. An allvortisement-displaying apparatus comprising, in combination, an opaque body containing transparent sections, a Inminous body behind said opaque body, a. display-surfa e exposed to )orti'ons of said luminous body through said sections, and means for forming a magnified image of said luminous body through said sections upon a display-surface, for the purpose set forth.

3. An adiuzrt'iscment-displaying apparain combination, an opat no body containilig transparent sections, a lumine-us body behind said opaque body, a display-surface exposed to said luminous body through said sections, and a lens for forming a magnified image of said body upon the displaysurtace, for the purpose set forth.

4. An advertisement-displaying appara tus comprising, in combination, an opaque body containingtransparent sections, an incandcscible strip supported behind said body, and means for forming a magnified image of said strip exposed through, said sections, upon a suitable display-surface, for the purpose set forth.

5. An ad vcrtisement-displaying apparatus comprising, in combination, an opaque body containing transparent sections of a shape corresponding, generally, to the advertising matter to be displayed, a luminous body behind said opaque body and registering with said sections thereof, and means for .tormii'ig on a suitable display-surface the magnified image of those portions of the luminous body which are exposed through said sections, for the purpose set forth.

6. An advertisement-displaying apparatus comprising, in combination, an incandescible strip shaped to conform generally to the advertising matter to be displayed, and means for forming the image of said strip upon a suitable display-surface, for thepurpose set forth.

7. An advertisement-(lisplaying apparatus comprising, in combination, an incandescible strip shaped to conform generally to the advertising matter to be displayed, and a suitably supported lens coiiperating with said strip for forming the image of the latter upon a suitable dis 'llay-surface, for the purpose set forth. 1

8. An advertisement-displaying apparatus comprising, in combination, an opaque body containing transparent sections conforming in shape generally to the advertising matter to be displayed, a suitably supported incandescible strip behind said body so formed as to cause portions thereof to register with said sections, and means for forming a magnified image of the portions of the strip thus registering with said sections upon a suitable display-surface, for the purpose set forth.

9. An advertisement-(iisplaying apparatus, comprising, in con'ibination, an opaque body containing transparent sections conforming in shape generally to the advertising matter to be displayed, a suitably supported incandcscible strip of zig-zag :bape behind said body so formed as to cause portions thereof to register with said sections, and means for forming a magnified image of the portions of the strip thus registering with said sections upon a suitable display-surface, for the purpose set forth.

10. An advertisement-displaying apparatus comprising, in combination, an opaque body containing transparent sections, an upright standard of insulating material through which electric-current conductors extend, an incandescible strip disposed behind said body and registering with said sections thereof and connected with said conductors,

strip,

11. An advertisement-displaying appara tus comprising, in combination, a plate formed of bpaque material and containing openings therethrough forming transparent sections th rein, a luminous body behind said plate regstering with said sections, means to forming a magnified image of said body through said sections upon a suitable display surface.

12. in advertisement-displaying apparatus co prising, in combination, a casing con taining'a slot in its bottom portion, a device for producing a luminous body seated on said bottom-portion and having a stud extendingt through said slot, means cooperating with said stud for clamping said device in adjusted position in the casing, an opaque body containing transparent sections in front of said luminous body, and means in the casing for forming a magnified image of said luminous body through said sections upon a suitable displaysurface, for the purpose set forth.

13. An advertisement-displaying apparatus comprising, in combination, a casing, a lens mounted in one end of said casing, an incandeseible strip generally conforming to the advertising matter to be displayed and disposed in a straight plane, and a plate of opaque material having openings-extending therethrough and forming transparent sections therein generally conforming in shape to the advertising matter to be displayed and registering at such sections with said for the purpose set forth.

14. An advertisement-displaying apparatus comprising, in combination, a body presenting incandescent legendary matter, and means for forming the image of the incandescent legendary amatter upon a displaysurface, for the pui'pose s'et fortl JOSEPH '1. ROFFY.

In presence of W. B. DAVIES, R. A. Sonanrna.

and a 

